Our candidates will be on 2027 ballot, Dickson assures NDC members

The National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Seriake Dickson, has assured the party’s candidates that they will appear on the ballot for the 2027 general election despite a recent court ruling setting aside the order that registered the party.

Mr Dickson said there was no cause for alarm, insisting that the NDC remains a legally recognised political party and that all its candidates were validly nominated in line with the law.

He made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

“I want to thank all Nigerians for their support, solidarity and prayers. As a matter of fact, since Friday, thousands of Nigerians have been flocking to our website to register. They now know more about our party, they sympathise with our party and our candidates, and they are buying into our vision. I thank them for their support and prayers,” Mr Dickson said.

He stressed that the court’s decision did not amount to the deregistration of the party.

“To be clear, the NDC has not been deregistered. The NDC has validly nominated candidates for all elective offices through primaries monitored nationwide by INEC, from the House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate to the governorship and presidential election. Our presidential candidate has also nominated a running mate. I am equally a senatorial candidate of the party,” he said.

According to him, all the party’s nominations were conducted within the timetable approved by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and remain legally valid.

“All nominations were validly carried out and monitored by INEC in accordance with the timeframe provided by the commission. I therefore assure all our candidates and members that those nominations remain valid.

“Under the laws of this country, nominations are made through party primaries conducted at various levels, while submission to INEC is merely an administrative procedure.

“The NDC is still a political party. The court itself did not deregister it, and no step has been taken to that effect,” Mr Dickson added.